The present invention relates to wakeup of a computing device from a power saving mode and, more particularly, to remote wakeup of an imaging device from a power saving mode.
As additional capabilities are added to computing devices, such as imaging devices, such devices consume more power. To make these devices more power efficient, manufacturers have equipped these devices with a power saving mode that the devices enter after a period of non-use. In the power saving mode, the supply of power is typically cut-off except to a few non-sleeping components of the device, such as components that are invoked to awaken the sleeping components of the device.
The methods by which known imaging devices can be awakened from power saving modes are limited. Some imaging devices can only be awakened by front panel action. In these devices, a user must walk to the imaging device and press a button on the imaging device to return the imaging device to a fully operational mode. Other imaging devices can additionally be awakened by sending an imaging job to the imaging device. While these imaging devices eliminate the requirement of front panel action, they typically require action from a local client device that is coupled to the imaging device via a serial or parallel port. Moreover, these imaging devices require the user to send an imaging job even if the user wants access to the imaging device for a reason other than imaging, such as device configuration, device cloning, statistics gathering, etc. In these situations, imaging device resources are consumed processing a superfluous imaging job. Additionally, the imaging device generally does not notify the local client device as to status regarding the return to the fully operational mode.